77 3 
THE RURAL, NEW-YORKER 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes 
Established isso 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Company. 833 West SOtta Street, Sew York 
Herbert W. Collingitood, President and Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
IV*. F. Dili,on. Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Royij?, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union. $ 2 . 04 , equal to 8s. 6d., or 
8 >£ marks, or 10)4 francs. Remit in money order, express 
order, personal cheek or bank draft. 
.Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising: rates 60 cents per agate line—7 words. References required for 
advertisers unknown to us ; and cash must accompany transient orders. 
“A SQUARE DEAL” 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is backed by a respom 
sibb* person. But to make doubly sure we will make good any loss to paid 
subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler advertising in our 
columns, and any such swindler will be publicly exposed, vve protect sub¬ 
scribers against rogues, but we do not gnarantee to adjust trifling differences 
between subscribers and honest, responsible advertisers. Neither will ve be 
responsible for the debts of honest bankrupts sanctioned by the oonrte 
Notice of the complaint must be sent to us within one month of the time or 
the transaction, and you must have mentioned The Rusal New-iorke& 
when writing the advertiser. 
The Brooks package law iu effect in New York 
State June 1, provides that all odd size fruit and 
vegetable packages shall he marked with net weight 
of contents. By odd size is meant barrels that do 
not contain 7.056 cubic inches and smaller packages 
that are not multiple of two quarts. Exceptions are 
packages that have already been officially standard¬ 
ized, such as the strawberry quart and the Georgia 
peach crate. Full details for enforcement of this 
law have not yet been worked out as regards grape 
baskets and some other packages. 
* 
“It has been notorious for years that some of the 
great express companies have been organized as stock 
companies for the express reason, it seems, to evade 
this law.” 
That is taken from an opinion given by Justice 
Holmes of the IT. S. Supreme Court. The Adams 
Express Company was sued by the government for 
violation of the interstate commerce act. Its de¬ 
fense was that it was not a corporation hut a “joint 
association.” The Supreme Court took the joint 
out of that defense so it went lame, by going back 
to the intention of the company to get around the 
law by playing with words. Thus the court rightly 
holds that if the company violates the law it must 
stand punishment—no matter what name it takes on. 
* 
When Raymond A. Pearson left New York for 
Iowa he carried with him the good wishes of a host 
of friends and the belief that as president of the 
Iowa State College he would make a mark in Iowa 
history. As Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Tear- 
son proved himself a clean and capable administra¬ 
tor and a thorough organizer. His friends will re¬ 
joice to know that he is making good in Iowa—de¬ 
veloping a great and useful institution. The Iowa 
Legislature voted to double the tax for the agricul¬ 
tural college from half a mill to a mill. This will 
give the college about a million dollars i>er year for 
its maintenance—with additional sums for new 
buildings as needed. Pearson will spend this million 
so that it will pay Iowa big interest 
* 
Last year Congress passed a law compelling pe¬ 
riodicals which enjoy the privilege of mailing at 
second class rates to publish twice a year names of 
publishers, editors, stockholders, mortgagees, etc. 
Daily newspapers must also print a sworn state¬ 
ment of their circulation. The new law also states: 
That all editorial or other reading matter published 
in any such newspaper, magazine, or periodical, for the 
publication of which money or other valuable considera¬ 
tion is paid, accepted, or promised, shall be plainly 
marked “advertisement.” 
Any editor or publisher printing editorial or other 
reading matter for which compensation is paid, accept¬ 
ed, or promised, without so marking the same, shall 
upon conviction in any court having jurisdiction bo 
fined not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than 
five hundred dollars ($500). 
This law was contested by the Lewis Publishing 
Co. and two New York papers. These claimed that 
the U. S. Government has no right “to regulate the 
newspaper business!” The Supreme Court has now 
unanimously upheld the law. It says that the low 
second-class rate is a privilege and not a right, so 
tlir t Congress has the right to say how that privi¬ 
lege shall be exercised. A paper is not compelled to 
mark its advertisements, hut if it does not do so it 
must keep out of the mails. The R. N.-Y. has often 
made its position clear on this concealed adver¬ 
tisement proposition. It is one of the meanest tricks 
known to journalism to take payment for an adver¬ 
tisement and tlieu disguise it so that readers will 
think it is editorial expression. By doing this the 
editor first gains the confidence of his readers and 
then plays the part of Judas by selling it; for a few 
pieces of silver. The Supreme Court is right iu de¬ 
ciding that the government should not permit the 
mails to be used for mailing fraudulent goods or 
fraudulent words. 
The U. S. Supreme Court decides that a State has 
the right to fix railroad rates within its borders. 
The State of Minnesota passed a law compelling 
railroads to carry passengers within the State 
borders for two cents a mile, and also cutting 
freight rates. The railroads ran through Minnesota 
iuto other States, and they fought the law on vari¬ 
ous grounds. They claimed that as they did an in¬ 
terstate traffic the State had no power to regulate 
them—that power belonging to the Interstate Com¬ 
merce Commission. They also claimed that the 
proposed rates were confiscatory—that is, so low 
that the railroads could not do business at a fair 
profit. After a long struggle the Supreme Court de¬ 
cides that the States have the right to regulate rates 
on business within their borders. Congress has not 
yet taken such power away from the States. As to 
whether a rate is confiscatory the court, decides 
that the burden of proof falls upon the railroad. 
In figuring what it ought fairly to earn as interest 
on its investment the railroads must figure a fair 
market value. The decision is a complicated one, 
but the essence of it is that the State retains the 
power to regulate railroad rates within its borders 
no matter what the railroads charge in adjoining 
territory The railroads are to he protected with 
a rate which will yield them a fair profit. 
* 
More about this Ashland dairy plan on the first 
page You may say that this scheme was promoted 
very largely by real estate men who were interested 
in selling land. You may also say that the banks 
made a very safe and profitable investment while 
these business men had a sure thing. Grant it all— 
and this very thing makes a good argument for freer 
loans and better credit to farmers. There is no 
town or city that can truly prosper when the farm¬ 
ers who supply its food and its trade are unable to 
develop their business properly. Let these farmers 
have credit which compares with that of town busi¬ 
ness men and every avenue of trade in that town 
will lie filled. Ashland, as we see. was a lumber 
town going to seed because the timber was being 
cleared out. The possibilities of dairying were far 
greater than lumbering had ever been, but it could 
not be developed until credit or cash was put into 
it. Credit was just as necessary for dairying as it 
was for lumbering, hut while the lumbermen could 
obtain the capital they needed farmers could not 
obtain the money to buy cows. They did not have 
credit equal to other business men. and had there 
been no way of obtaining it Ashland would have 
moved off the lumber map and never got near the 
dairy map. Here then is a ease clearly showing 
how the farmers stand right at the foundation of 
the town’s prosperity. It also shows how that foun¬ 
dation was like shifting sand until credit or working 
capital made it solid and firm. These business men 
got the banks around the law by lending their credit. 
Now some plan is needed to cut off this roundabout 
system and obtain the credit directly and cheaply. 
* 
We ask yon to read the article on page 770 en¬ 
titled “Colleges That Can Lead.” After reading it 
will you think it over carefully? There are men 
who do not like to think. Thinking is often hard 
work, and when honestly doue it puts us face to 
face with duties which are unpleasant. Yet it is 
only through thought that a man can really fit 
his mind to help his body. You know that the 
transporters and the handlers receive a larger share 
of what your crop sells for than you do. You know 
that the politicians handle you and your friends so 
that you have kept on doing what they told you to 
though you were never satisfied with them. These 
men do not obtain G5 cents of the dollar or their 
political power because they are iu the majority 
or by physical power. They do it because they know 
how to think, and thus are able to dominate the 
thought of the people. Before you cau hope to ob 
tain your fair share you and other farmers must 
also lea ru to think and thus to dominate thought. 
Here are the agricultural colleges drifting away 
from us. You see that so long as they advocate “re¬ 
search” and the two blades of grass theory they 
need fear nothing from the “big business” which 
charges us 05 cents of the dollar for carrying and 
handling and “financing” one dollar’s worth of our 
goods. Thinking will also show you that whenever 
these colleges honestly and fearlessly take up the 
35-cent-dollar problem they will at once have a bat¬ 
tle with this same “big business.” That is just 
what our colleges ought to do, but they will not do 
it until they are dominated by the thought of the 
plain, homely farmer. As this is a matter of 
thought no one can tell him to do it as he could tell 
how to plant corn or potatoes. Thus we must think 
it out until we understand and feel it. Then it will 
be done. 
June 21, 
Oregon lias now a commission man’s law much 
like the Cole law in New York. Oregon commission 
merchants must give a bond and obtain a license. 
There are heavy fines and imprisonment for viola¬ 
tion of the law. The Oregon commission men do not 
take kindly to such restriction. They will carry the 
law to the highest courts ou the plea that it is “(hiss 
legislation.” That is the great refuge for grafters 
and snides when held up to their duty. In New 
York the better class of commission men understand 
that a fair regulation of the business means pro¬ 
tection for them as well as for the shippers. The 
honest merchant is as much interested as anyone in 
getting rid of the snides. 
* 
At its last regular session the New Jersey Legis¬ 
lature made laws defining combinations in restraint 
of trade. It is forbidden 
(4) To fix at any standard or figure, whereby its 
price to the public or consumer shall in any manner 
be controlled, any article or commodity or merchandise, 
produce or commerce intended for sale, use or consump¬ 
tion in this State or elsewhere. 
(5) To make any agreement by which they directly 
or indirectly preclude a free and unrestricted competi¬ 
tion among themselves, or any purchaser or consumers, 
in the Side or transportation of any article or com¬ 
modity, either by pooling, withholding from the market 
or selling at a fixed price, or in any other manner by 
which the price might be affected. 
(0) To make any secret oral agreement or arrive at 
an understanding without express agreement by which 
they directly or indirectly preclude a free and unre¬ 
stricted competition among themselves, or any pur¬ 
chaser or consumer, in the sale or transportation of 
any article, either by pooling, withholding from the 
market, or soiling at a fixed price, or in any other 
manner by which the price might be affected. 
The New York Milk Exchange which was char¬ 
tered in New Jersey has decided that this prevents 
them from issuing any further quotations, so they 
have practically gone out of business. There is no 
occasion to shed tears over this, because the alleged 
official quotations never meant anything in par¬ 
ticular, being merely a tool to further the selfish 
ends of the city milk dealers. It is well known that 
the fair-minded minority in the Exchange often ob¬ 
jected to the official price made. 
* 
The campaign for direct primaries in New York 
State is developing just as we expected it would. 
Members of the Legislature went home insisting 
that they would not change their votes. They tell 
ns there is no sentiment in their districts for direct 
primaries, but we have heard that before. Senator 
Ralph W. Thomas has adopted a sensible plan for 
obtaining an expression of opinion. He has asked 
(through the papers of his district), all voters to 
write and tell what they want him to do. We have 
seen letters from several men who say they will 
ignore their party caucus if it can be proved to them 
that the majority of their people want the Sulzer or 
any other hill. Most of the Senators are very bitter 
against Gov. Sulzer. Some of the names they call 
him would not look pretty in print. We have done 
what we could to develop interest in this matter 
because we know that farmers will derive greater 
benefit from a fair direct primary than any other 
class. We are not personally interested in Gov. 
Sulzer. The writer never saw him in his life, and 
has no interest whatever in any political quarrels. 
It seems to us that the hill which Gov. Sulzer advo¬ 
cates is a good one and that it has a better chance 
of passing the Legislature than any other which 
really means anything. What we want is the adop¬ 
tion in New York of the real principle of direct 
nomination. We know what this has accomplished 
m other States and we would like to have our New 
York farmers enjoy the rights which others have 
won. We think the great majority of the Senators 
we have named have now heard enough at home to 
send them back to Albany in favor of some form 
of direct primary that will help. If both they and 
Gov. Sulzer mean what they say they should get 
together, stop playing politics and do something. 
BREVITIES. 
Sooner or later every “necessary evil” becomes un¬ 
necessary. 
You would have thought our crows had catarrh at 
the way they croaked at the taste of tarred corn. 
Do not keep the fatted calf for the son who does 
least for you. Give it to the one who deserves it. 
The U. S. Department of Agriculture has issued a 
bulletin on “Vetch Growing in the South Atlantic 
States.” 
The cold weather keeps the corn back, but it will 
jump when the sun finally warms up. So keep the 
cultivator working and do not growl. 
This has proved to be the coldest June for o0 yeais. 
Frost on June !> destroyed great quantities oi fruit and 
garden crops in southern New York. 
Some New Jersey men who were discovered by game 
wardens with 38 seagull eggs in their possession are 
liable to a fine of $760. This seems to be the highest 
market quotation for uncandled eggs recorded this sea¬ 
son. 
